Soft Tissue Trauma of the

Oral & Perioral Region

Criszel F. Buenaventura, DDM
Learning Objectives
At the end of the session, the students are
expected to:
}  Identify the different types and causes of soft
tissue trauma of the oral and perioral region
}  Determine the surgical management of different
soft tissue trauma based on the extent of soft
tissue damage
Abrasion
}  Cause:
}  Friction bet an object and the surface of the soft tissue
}  Usually superficial
}  Painful
}  Minor bleeding
}  Heals by reepithelialization or scar formation
}  Management:
}  Clean the area à antibiotic ointment à loose bandage
à skin grafting
Contusion
} Bruise
}  Cause:
}  Trauma from a blunt object
}  Management:
}  Ice or pressure dressings
}  Surgical exploration & ligation of vessel
}  Antibiotics?
Laceration
}  A tear in the epithelial & subepithelial tissues
}  Most frequent type of soft tissue injury
}  Cause:
}  Sharp object
}  Jagged laceration
}  Management:
}  Cleansing of wound
}  Debridement of wound
}  Hemostasis in wound
}  Closure of wound
Management of Laceration
1.  Cleansing of wound – mechanical
2.  Debridement of wound
}  Removal of contused & devitalized tissue
}  Removal of jagged pieces of surface tissue
3.  Hemostasis of wound
}  Clamp & tie with ligatures
}  Electrocautery
4.  Closure of wound
}  Primary or secondary intention
}  Depends on the location & depth of laceration
}  From the inside out
Management of Laceration
}  Supportive therapy
}  Systemic antibiotics?
}  Tetanus status?
}  Postsurgical diet
}  Wound care
}  Remember:
Soft tissue wounds associated with dentoalveolar
trauma are ALWAYS treated AFTER management
of the hard tissue injury